Gambia

This Page was last updated on the 2nd. November, 2006.

Country	Gambia
Official Name	Republic of the Gambia
Former Name	Gambia, Federation of Senegambia (fomerly part of various ancient Kingdoms; Arab traders in the 9th and 10th centuries; Portuguese took over this trade using maritime routes in 15th century; Portuguese sold exclusive trade rights on the Gambia River to English merchants in 1588; England and France fight forsupremacy in the regions of the Senegal and Gambia Rivers during the late 17th and 18th century; Great Britain given possession of The Gambia [Treaty of Versailles] in 1783; The Gambia became a British Crown Colony in 1889; full internal self-government was granted in 1963; became a constitutional monarchy at independence; became a republic following a referendum on 24 April 1970; Federation of Senegambia with Senegal 1982-1989.)
Capital	Banjul
Main Towns	Banjul (pop. 34,828 excluding suburbs [2003 provisional census]), Bansang, Basse, Brikama, Farafenni, Georgetown, Gunjur, Soma.
Subdivisions	5 divisions: Lower River, Central River, North Bank, Upper River, Western. 1 city: Banjul.
Independence	18 February 1965 (from UK)
Constitution	24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished 16 January 1997
National Holiday	Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
UN Membership	21 September 1965
OAU Membership	October 1965 – now African Union (AU)
Commonwealth	18 February 1965
Other Organisations	In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Criminal Court (ICCt - signatory), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO).
Population	World Bank Figures: 1,268,510 (1999), 1,312,000 (2000), 1,352,149 (2001), 1,388,568 (2002), 1,420,895 (2003) Other Sources: 989,273 (July 1995), 1,411,205 (July 2001 est.), 1,501,050 (July 2003 est.) 1,593,256 (July 2005 est.)
Area	4,127 sq. mls. (10,689 sq. kms.)
Density	80 per sq.km. (1995)
Highest Point	unnamed 174 ft. (53 m.)
Lowest Point	Atlantic Ocean - sea level
Neighbours	Senegal (surrounded by)
Life Expectancy	46 years (1995), total population: 53.59 years, male: 51.65 years, female: 55.58 years (2001 est.) total population: 54.38 years, male: 52.39 years, female: 56.44 years (2003 est.) total population: 55.2 years male: 53.14 years female: 57.31 years (2005 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate	total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births, female: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.), male: 81.67 deaths/1,000 live births total: 72.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 78.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS	adult prevalence rate: 1.6% (2001 est.) 1.2% (2003 est.) people living with HIV/AIDS: 8,400 (2001 est.) 6,800 (2003 est.) deaths: 400 (2001 est.) 600 (2003 est.) IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Gambia - Updated: Sept 2004 Population: 1.3 million HIV Prevalence Rate (%) 2003 End: 1.2 No. Of People living with HIV/AIDS: 17,000 No. Of People in need of ART: 2,550 No. Of People Currently On ART (Sep 04): 15 No. Of People on ART Public Sector: Not Defined No. Of People on ART in Non Govt Programmes: Not Defined No. Of People Exptd to be on ART (2005 End): 1,275 Front Line Drug Regimen: -- HIV/AIDS Treatment Sites: 3 Global Fund 2 Year Approved Funding (Round 3: Approved 31-Aug-04): US$6,241,743.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The Global Fund: US$1,267,151.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme (MAP): US$15 million Total Funds Disbursed By PEPFAR: Nil Source: USAID, WHO, Ministry of Health, USAID
Adult Literacy Rate	39% (1995), total population: 47.5%, male: 58.4%, female: 37.1% (2001 est.) total population: 40.1%, male: 47.8%, female: 32.8% (2003 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Mandinka 39.5%, Fula 18.8%, Wolof 14.6%, Jola 10.6%, Serahule 8.9%, Serere 7.8%, Krio/Aku Marabout 1.8%, Manjago 0.8%, Bambara 0.7%, other Gambians 1.2%, no declaration 0.3% (1993 census) Mandingo (Mandinka) 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, Aku, other 4%
Languages	English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula
Religions	Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, Traditional Religion (Animist) 1%
Type of Government	Republic, multiparty democratic rule
President	Yahya Abdulaziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh, since 18 October 1996)
Prime Minister	---
Political Parties	Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC); Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party (GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition); National Convention Party (NCP); National Reconciliation Party (NRP); People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS). In August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996.
Ruling Party	Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC)
Currency	Dalasi (D, GMD)(100 bututs) dalasi per US dollar - 27.306 (2003), 27.306 (2003), 19.918 (2002), 15.687 (2001), 12.788 (2000)
GDP	US$384m (1995) GDP: US$360 million (2002) purchasing power parity - US$2.799 billion (2004 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,770 (2001 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,800 (2002 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)
GNP	US$350 (1992) US$350 (1994) US$320 (1995)
Per Capita Income	Per capita income: US$330 (2002)
Population Below Poverty Line	NA%
Land Use	rable land: 25% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 74.5% (2001) Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural Resources	ish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum
Oil and Natural Gas	Seismic studies indicate the possible presence of oil and gas offshore. production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption: 1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001)
Military	Military branches: Gambian National Army (GNA) (includes marine unit), National Police, Presidential Guard Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 338,800 (2003 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: US$1.2 million (FY02) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.3% (FY02)
Economic Aid Received	US$45.4 million (1995) Official Development Assistance (ODA) received from all sources (2001): $50.9 million. U.S. economic aid received (FY 2001): $6.2 million in food aid and assistance to democracy and human rights programs. Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$26 (1999), US$37 (2000), US$40 (2001), US$44 (2002), US$42 (2003)
Debt	Moderately indebted (HIPC) World Bank Figures: US$265,000,000 (2000), US$265,000,000 (2001), US$294,900,000 (2002), US$334,600,000 (2003) Other Sources: US$426m (1995) US$440m (2001 est.) US$476 million (2001 est.)
Major Imports	foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment textiles, readymade foodstuffs, machinery, transportation equipment. 98% for domestic consumption, 2% for re-export (2000 est.)
Imports from	China (including Hong Kong) 49%, UK 15%, Netherlands 11.6%, Brazil 10%, Senegal 10%, Germany, France, USA, Italy (1997) U.K.; other EU countries; China, Japan, and other Asian countries; West African neighbors (2000 est.) US$139.3 million (2000 est.) China (including Hong Kong), Senegal, UK, Netherlands, France, Brazil (2001) China 25.1%, Senegal 9.2%, UK 6.3%, Brazil 6%, Netherlands 4.9%, US 4.8% (2004) US$180.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Major Exports	peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports re-exports, groundnut and groundnut products (37%), fish and fish products (7%), fruits and vegetables (26%) (2000 est.)
Exports to	Benelux 59%, Japan 20%, UK 7%, Spain 2%, Switzerland (1999) U.K., other EU countries, and Senegal (2000 est.) US$12.03 million (2000 est.) Benelux 14.8%, Brazil 8.1%, Netherlands 6.5%, UK 5.3%, Japan 4.2% (2001) US$114.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 2 November, 2006

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